Register board

ABSTRACT

A register board provided with a cabinet having at least one swingable front panel mounted thereon for movement between open and closed position, the panel supporting a series of switches. Each switch has a switch unit carrying an electrical bulb and a translucent lens disposed over the bulb, each lens being selectively depressible to light the bulb therebeneath and each lens being provided with a distinctive indicia. The panel, when swung open, carries all of the switches thereon into exposed position for wiring, servicing and changing of the lenses.

United States Patent lnventor John .1. Hudson Burllngame, Calif. Appl. No. 823,772 Filed May 12, 1969 Patented Nov. 23, 1971 Assignee Kathryn F. Hodson San Mateo, Calif. a part interest REGISTER BOARD 5 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl .1 340/381 Int. Cl G08b 5/36 Field of Search... 340/381 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,183,183 12/1939 Burk 340/381 X 3,302,195 1/1967 Fuller 340/381 Primary Examiner-Richard Murray Attorney-Joseph F. Cole ABSTRACT: A register board provided with a cabinet having at least one swingable front panel mounted thereon for move-. ment between open and closed position, the panel supporting a series of switches. Each switch has a switch unit carrying an electrical bulb and a translucent lens disposed over the bulb, each lens being selectively depressible to light the bulb therebeneath and each lens being provided with a distinctive indicia, The panel, when swung open, carries all of the switches thereon into exposed position for wiring, servicing and changing of the lenses.

PATENTEBunv 23 1971 SHEET 1 [1F 3 Ill-5r. a-

INVENTOR.

' JOHN J'HODSON TORNEY PATENTEDHUV 23 IQTI 3,623 O85 sum 2 0F 3 INVIJN'H )R.

I151 Q: JOHN J. Hoosow A ORNEY REGISTER BOARD SUMMARY These register boards have been designed for use in hospitals and like places to indicate the presence of doctors, but they may be used by personnel in a factory, or for indicating that items of equipment are in use, for instance, when a doctor is using a microphone to rely information about an X- ray picture to a tape recorder in the medical records section.

An object of this invention is to provide a register board wherein a cabinet has at least one swingable front panel mounted thereon for swinging between closed and open positions, the panel supporting a series of switches, each switch having a switch unit carrying an electrical bulb and a translucent lens disposed over the bulb. Each lens may be selectively depressed to light the bulb therebeneath, and each lens being provided ,with a distinctive indicia, whereby the lenses may be visually distinguished from one another. The panel, when swung open carries all of the switches thereon into exposed position for ready and convenient wiring, servicing and changing of the lenses.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a better understanding of the invention, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view showing a pair of my register boards that are interconnected by an electrical cable;

FIG. 2 is a face view of one of my register boards on a larger scale;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of FIG. 2 disclosing one of the front panels swung into open position by dot-dash lines;

FIG. 4 is an oblique view of a fragmentary portion of the register board, with a border frame lowered and one of the panels opened;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of a front panel as seen from the interior of the cabinet;

FIG. 6 is a face view of a group of the lenses on a larger scale than in the preceding views; and

FIG. 7 is an elevational view, partly in section, and taken along the plane 7-7 of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be noted that a pair of register boards designated generally at A have been shown in FIG. 1 which are interconnected by an electrical cable B. When used in a hospital for indicating the presence of doctors, one of the register boards may be placed in the doc- -tors' entrance, while the other may be located near the telephone operator's switchboard. This use is cited by way of an example only, and I do not wish to be limited in this respect. Both of the register boards are identical.

As clearly shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings, the register board A is provided with a cabinet C, and a plurality of rectangular-shaped translucent lens 13 disposed over the bulb.

The switches E are a commercial product containing sliding and wiping action contacts, and FIG. 7 shows electrical wires 14 connected to terminal strips 15. Each lens 13 may be selectively depressed to light the bulb 12 therebeneath.

Referring to FIG. 6 of the drawings, it will be observed that each lens 13 is provided with a distinctive indicia 16, whereby the lenses may be visually distinguished from one another. Of

course, each register board A has an indicia-carrying lens that is duplicated on the other register board. Thus, when a doctor arrives at the hospital and depressed his name on the doctors in-board, the particular lens for this doctor will light up on both boards; accordingly, the operator will be informed that the doctor is present in the hospital.

It is important to note from FIG. 4 that when the panel D is swung open so as to extend forwardly from the cabinet C, all of the switches E carried thereby will be exposed for wiring, servicing and changing of the lenses 13. The panel D is swingable on the hinge 10 between substantially vertical closed position and substantially horizontal position, as will be apparent from FIG. 4. The switch units 11 are supported on the inner face of the panel so that they will be disposed uppermost on the panel when the latter is swung into substantially horizontal position.

All of the lenses 13 are arranged in grid formation, defining vertical and horizontal rows (see FIGS. 2, 4 and 5). Moreover, adjacent lenses 13 contact one another both vertically and horizontally, thereby preventing the lenses from rotating out of alignment and presenting a solid bank of lenses.

Each of the panels D has a subframe 17 that is swingably secured by the hinges 10 to the cabinet C, and this subframe is limited in its downward movement by limit-stop hinge levers 18 (see FIG. 4). The upper ends of these levers may be anchored to partitions 19 provided on the interior of the cabinet C (see FIGS. 3 and 4), while the lower ends of these levers are attached to the subframe 17 (see FIG. 4).

It will be noted from FIGS. 4, 5 and 7 that each subframe 17 has a plurality of switch-mounting members 20 fixed thereto so as to move therewith, the switches E being mounted on these members. The latter are disposed in parallel and spaced relation with respect to one another so as to facilitate assembling and servicing of the switches.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, a plurality of front panels D are provided, and each supports a series of switches E and lenses 13, whereby the panels may be swung into open position independently of one another.

Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, inclusive, it will be apparent that a border frame F surrounds the panels D and has its lower end secured by a hinge 21 to the lower part of the cabinet C, and this border frame may be swung open, as shown in FIG. 4, so as to permit the front panels D to be opened. It will be noted from FIG. 2 that the border frame F defines a rectangular opening and the rectangular-shaped lenses 13 on the front panels D completely fill this opening area.

When using my register boards in factories and other plants, the employees, administrators, officials, etc., could press their respective lens 13 on one board, when checking in, and their presence would be seen on the other register board, for instance, at the telephone operator's switchboard.

As previously mentioned, my register boards may be used for indicating that certain items are in use, for example, when a tape recorder in the records section is being used, the lens representing this item could be pressed in the records section, and a corresponding lens in a doctor's office would indicate this fact, since the light bulb 12 in the latter would be lighted under a lens 13 for the item.

ICLAIM:

I. In a register board:

a. a cabinet having at least one swingable front panel mounted thereon for movement between closed and open position;

. the panel supporting a series of switches, each switch having a switch unit mounted stationary on the panel carrying an electrical bulb and a translucent lens disposed over the bulb, each lens being selectively depressible to light the bulb therebeneath, each lens being provided with a distinctive indicia, whereby the lenses may be visually distinguished from one another;

and the panel, when swung open, carrying all of the switches thereon into exposed position for wiring, servicing and changing of the lenses.

2. The register board, as set forth in claim I;

d. and in which the panel is hinged at its bottom to the cabinet and being swingable between substantially vertical closed position and substantially horizontal open position, the panel extending forwardly of the cabinet in the latter position, the switch units being supported on the inner face of the panel so that they will be disposed uppermost on the panel when the latter is swung into substantially horizontal position, thereby exposing the switch units for wiring, servicing and changing of the lenses.

3. The register board, as set forth in claim 1;

e. and in which all of the lenses are arranged in grid formation, defining vertical and horizontal rows, the lenses being rectangular-shaped and adjacent lenses contacting one another both vertically and horizontally, thereby preventing them from rotating out of alignment and presenting a solid bank of lenses 4. The register board, as set forth in claim 1;

f, and in which the panel has a subframe that is swingably secured to the cabinet, and a plurality of switch-mounting members are fixed to the subframe as to swing therewith, the switches being mounted on these members, these switch-mounting members being disposed in parallel and spaced relation with respect to each other so as to facilitate assembling and servicing of the switches,

5. The register board, as set forth in claim 3;

g. and in which a plurality of front panels are swingably secured to the cabinet, each supporting series of switches and lenses, whereby the panels may be swung into open position independently of one another;

h. the cabinet being provided with a border frame surrounding the front panels and defining a rectangular opening, the translucent lenses on the front panels completely filling the entire area of this opening. 

1. In a register board: a. a cabinet having at least one swingable front panel mounted thereon for movement between closed and open position; b. the panel supporting a series of switches, each switch having a switch unit mounted stationary on the panel carrying an electrical bulb and a translucent lens disposed over the bulb, each lens being selectively depressible to light the bulb therebeneath, each lens being provided with a distinctive indicia, whereby the lenses may be visually distinguished from one another; c. and the panel, when swung open, carrying all of the switches thereon into exposed position for wiring, servicing and changing of the lenses.
 2. The register board, as set forth in claim 1; d. and in which the panel is hinged at its bottom to the cabinet and being swingable between substantially vertical closed position and substantially horizontal open position, the panel extending forwardly of the cabinet in the latter position, the switch units being supported on the inner face of the panel so that they will be disposed uppermost on the panel when the latter is swung into substantially horizontal position, thereby exposing the switch units for wiring, servicing and changing of the lenses.
 3. The register board, as set forth in claim 1; d. and in which all of the lenses are arranged in grid formation, defining vertical and horizontal rows, the lenses being rectangular shaped, and adjacent lenses contacting one another both vertically and horizontally, thereby preventing them from rotating out of alignment and presenting a solid bank of lenses.
 4. The register board, as set forth in claim 1; d. and in which the panel has a subframe that is swingably secured to the cabinet, and a plurality of switch-mounting members are fixed to the subframe as to swing therewith, the switches being mounted on these members, these switch-mounting members being disposed in parallel and spaced relation with respect to each other so as to facilitate assembling and servicing of the switches.
 5. The register board, as set forth in claim 3; e. and in which a plurality of front panels are swingably secured to the cabinet, each supporting a series of switches and lenses, whereby the panels may be swung into open position independently of one another; f. the cabinet being provided with a border frame surrounding the front panels and defining a rectangular opening, the translucent lenses on the front panels completely filling the entire area of this opening. 